SeaWorld Parks Blog - Fauna of South Americahttp://www.seaworldparksblog.com/taxonomy/term/426/0
enTune In Later This Week to See Your Favorite Winter Animals!http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/tune-later-week-see-your-favorite-winter-animals
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<h2>SeaWorld and Busch Gardens animal ambassadors can be seen on two national shows on Friday, December 23.</h2>
<p><img alt="" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/content/despierta_america_nov_2011_1-200x180.jpg" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 5px; border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; float: right; width: 200px; height: 180px; " width="200" height="180"></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; ">First on Despierta America, Pedro Ramos-Navarrete will introduce some fun winter animals, including a puffin, a couple of adorable chinchillas, a gyrfalcon, and a Lynx.&nbsp;Make sure you tune in to see Pedro and the animals for what is sure to be an entertaining and educational segment. Despierta America airs nationally on Univision; check your local listings for air times. &iexcl;Feliz Navidad!</p>
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<br><p style="text-align: justify; ">Then during the fourth hour of the TODAY Show, Julie Scardina and a cockatoo named Maxine from SeaWorld San Diego will steal the show when she decorates a Christmas tree with candy canes. Hoda and Kathie Lee will meet a pair of small clawed Asian otters and a reindeer during this Christmas themed appearance. The TODAY Show is broadcasted nationally on NBC; check your local listings for air times.</p>
<p style="text-align: center; "><img alt="julie scardina witha reindeer on the Today Show" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/content/dsc02963-500x375.jpg" style="border-top-width: 1px; border-right-width: 1px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-width: 1px; border-top-style: solid; border-right-style: solid; border-bottom-style: solid; border-left-style: solid; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; width: 500px; height: 375px; " width="500" height="375"><br>
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Busch GardensCDATAChinchillaCockatooFauna of South AmericaGyrfalconJulie ScardinaKathie Lee GiffordNavidadPerson CommunicationSeaWorldTelevision in the United StatesZoology¡Despierta América!CelebritiesNews & TipsWed, 21 Dec 2011 16:01:20 +0000John Walker96237 at http://www.seaworldparksblog.comhttp://www.seaworldparksblog.com/julie-scardina-returns-today-show
n/aThu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 at http://www.seaworldparksblog.comhttp://www.seaworldparksblog.com/adorable-baby-flamingos-hatched-busch-gardens
n/aThu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 at http://www.seaworldparksblog.comBirds of a Featherhttp://www.seaworldparksblog.com/birds-feather
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bird feathers are colorful, beautiful and revered by some cultures. That's why our Aviculture staff teams up with the Feather Distribution Project to collect and donate molted feathers to the Pueblo Indians for use in traditional religious ceremonies. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;<img src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/turaco_red_crested_07-262x173.jpg" width="262" height="173"></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Founded in 1982, the Feather Distribution Project helps to eliminate the smuggling of endangered macaws and also reduces the destruction of native bird species. This program also eliminates feather plucking by providing specific Pueblo people with the particular feathers they need so that they will use only molted feathers from their birds. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/macaw_scarlet_01-276x187.jpg" width="276" height="187"></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Feathers that are collected and donated at Discovery Cove include those from turacos which have some of the most interesting feathers of any bird species.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learn more about this project at </span><a href="http://www.wingwise.com/feather.htm"><span style="font-size: small;">www.wingwise.com/feather.htm</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: small;">More than 12 million people each year visit a <a href="http://seaworld.com">SeaWorld</a> park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Displaying any animal comes with an obligation to meet its physical, mental and social needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We are committed to the highest standards of care and are proud of our record and reputation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There is no organization in the world today more committed to the animals in its care than SeaWorld.</span></span></p>
Animal productsAvicultureBirdBird anatomyFauna of South AmericaFeathersTuracowww.wingwise.com/feather.htmZoologyTue, 20 Apr 2010 17:50:55 +0000Lauren Skowyra320 at http://www.seaworldparksblog.com“The 12 Days Of Christmas” at Busch Gardens Tampahttp://www.seaworldparksblog.com/12-days-christmas-busch-gardens-tampa
<p><strong>Busch Gardens Puts its Spin on a Traditional Holiday Favorite</strong></p>
<p>Just in time for the holidays, it&rsquo;s &ldquo;The 12 Days Of Christmas&rdquo; as told by an African-themed family adventure park</p>
<p><strong>12 Flamingos Flocking&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="292" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/12_Flamingos-527x292.jpg" width="527"></p>
<p>Busch Gardens&rsquo; Flamingo Island &ndash; located in the historic Bird Gardens area &ndash; is home to a large flock of Caribbean Flamingos. Flamingos are not born with their beautiful pink plumage. Their color comes from the carotenoid pigments they consume as part of their diet. All flamingos eat with their bills upside-down, tipping their heads into the water to &ldquo;filter feed,&rdquo; using special adaptations in the top half of their bill to gather the microorganisms that make up their diet.</p>
<p><strong>11 Lories Landing&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="475" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/11_Lorrys-533x475.jpg" width="533"></p>
<p>Lory Landing, a domed habitat located in Busch Gardens&rsquo; Bird Gardens area,<strong> </strong>showcases a variety of brilliantly colored birds including several species of parrots, including lorikeets, as well as hornbills and pheasants in both free flight and observational environments.</p>
<p><strong>10 Sheiks A-&nbsp;Jammin'&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="410" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/10_Sheiks-545x410.jpg" width="545"></p>
<p>This traveling band of instrumentalists is always a favorite among park visitors. The Mystic Sheiks of Morocco have been a symbol of Busch Gardens since the 1970s and serve as ambassadors for the adventure park at special events and media appearances around the world.</p>
<p><strong>9 Snowy Skaters&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="377" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/9_Skaters-540x377.jpg" width="540"></p>
<p>There&rsquo;s a festive chill in the air at Stanleyville Theater with <em>Christmas on Ice</em>, a limited-engagement ice show that brings a graceful winter wonderland to life through Jan. 1.</p>
<p><strong>8 Meerkats Watching&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="267" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/8_Meerkats-554x267.jpg" width="554"></p>
<p>Meerkats have outstanding vision, and the dark rings around their eyes help reduce glare from the sun. They stand on their back legs and balance themselves with their tails when they are keeping watch. In the event of a predator, they will act as a group and fight to protect each other. Busch Gardens&rsquo; meerkats can be seen in Edge of Africa.</p>
<p><strong>7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Soldiers Marching&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="272" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/7_Soldiers-572x272.jpg" width="572"></p>
<p><em>Christmas Celebration</em> is a musical extravaganza, featuring seasonal songs, tap-dancing toy soldiers and fun for the whole family in the Desert Grill &ndash;running through Jan. 3.</p>
<p><strong>6&nbsp;Zebras Grazing&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="299" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/6_Zebras-548x299.jpg" width="548"></p>
<p>Grevy&rsquo;s zebras are distinguishable from other types of zebras by their narrow, dark-brown stripes, which are positioned close together and do not cover the belly. Each zebra has a unique stripe pattern, like a person's fingerprint, and these stripes provide protection by making it hard for a predator to single out an individual in the herd. Busch Gardens&rsquo; Grevy&rsquo;s zebras are just one of several free-roaming herds on the 65-acre Serengeti Plain.</p>
<p><strong>FIVE GOLDEN FROGS!</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="272" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/5_Golden_Frogs-543x272.jpg" width="543"></p>
<p>Although known as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog">frog</a>, The Panamanian golden frog (<em>Atelopus zeteki</em>) is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critically_endangered">critically endangered</a> toad. Like other frogs and toads, the golden frog is capable of secreting poison to help protect themselves from predators. In the case of the golden frog, this is a water-soluble <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotoxin">neurotoxin</a> called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zetekitoxin&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1">zetekitoxin</a>.</p>
<p><strong>4 Leaping Lemurs&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="303" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/4_Lemurs-522x303.jpg" width="522"></p>
<p>&nbsp;Ring-tailed lemurs are the most terrestrial of all lemurs, spending a great deal of time on the ground instead of the trees. Their numbers are declining rapidly due to continuous deforestation for the logging industry and plantations, as well as &ldquo;slash and burn&rdquo; agriculture. Busch Gardens&rsquo; ring-tailed lemurs can be seen in Edge of Africa.</p>
<p><strong>3 Grinning Gators&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="404" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/3_Gators-497x404.jpg" width="497"></p>
<p>The name &ldquo;alligator&rdquo; was derived from the Spanish words <em>el lagarto</em>, meaning "the lizard," which is what Spanish explorers called these creatures. Alligators and crocodiles are similar in appearance, but exhibit a number of differences: Alligators are dark colored with a broad, rounded snout, and are usually found in fresh water. Crocodiles are grayish-green, have a narrow, tapered, triangular snout and prefer coastal, brackish and salt-water habitats. Busch Gardens has both &ndash; you can compare for yourself!</p>
<p><strong>2 Hungry Hippos&hellip;</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="236" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/2_Hippos-499x236.jpg" width="499"></p>
<p>Hippos spend most of their days in the water or wallowing in the mud, generally coming up on land to feed at night. Hippos are an important part of the African ecosystem: because their favorite food is short grass, they keep these grasses well trimmed which may help to deter grassfires. At Busch Gardens, the hippos in Edge of Africa also receive lettuce, fruits and vegetables as part of their diet.</p>
<p><strong>And a giraffe that's as tall as a tree!</strong></p>
<p><img class="mceItem" height="364" src="http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/sites/default/files/resize/sites/www.insideconservation.com/files/content/1_Giraffe-512x364.jpg" width="512"></p>
<p>Reticulated giraffes are so named because of the net-like pattern of their spots. Busch Gardens&rsquo; 65-acre Serengeti Plain features free-roaming herds of giraffes, zebra, antelope and ostrich, and is accessible to guests via the Serengeti Safari tour, the Serengeti Express train, or from several viewing points along the Edge of Africa pathway.</p>
<p><strong><em>Photos by Matt Marriott/Busch Gardens Tampa Bay</em></strong></p>
BGTBiologyBirds of North AmericaBusch GardensBusch Gardens Tampa BayBusinessBusinessCDATAChristmasEDGE SpeciesFauna of AfricaFauna of South AmericaFlamingoFloridaFrogGeography of the United StatesGrévy's ZebraHippopotamusHTMLHTML elementLories and lorikeetsMeerkatOrnithologyPanamanian golden frogRing-tailed LemurTampaTampa, FloridaTourism in the United StatesTrue parrotsWilliamsburg, VirginiaXMLZebraZebrasZoologyWed, 16 Dec 2009 21:46:15 +0000Lauren Skowyra164 at http://www.seaworldparksblog.com